THE RETROSPECT OF THE YEAR. 115 



This is accounted for this year by the item of insurance, 

 the large increase in the cost of printing caused by the 

 bringing of the publications up to date and the issuing of 

 new editions of the " Visitors' Guide to Salem "and "The 

 Story of the First Meeting House." The cost of the lat- 

 ter two will however be returned to us in small amounts 

 during the next few years. Now that the publications 

 are up to date and the insurance has been distributed over 

 a series of years, it seems as if we might run along with- 

 in our income, if nothing beyond the usual routine work 

 is attempted ; such, for instance, as the much needed over- 

 hauling to make accessible the great mass of valuable 

 manuscripts and papers of all kinds, which as yet remain 

 almost an untilled Held, doubtless containing material of 

 untold value to the student of our earlier ways of life 

 and people. 



It has always been the policy of the Institute to take 

 the broadest view of the situation and to do those things 

 which seemed to be ultimately best for its interest, even 

 at the cost of a present embarrassment for funds. This, 

 the Treasurer believes, is the only way that the work 

 should be continued and expects to see its brilliant past 

 eclipsed by a more brilliant future. 



We all realize of course that it takes money to run an 

 institution of this kind, in such a manner; but let its 

 present condition and prospects be a justification of this 

 policy, and may they furnish encouragement to those who 

 follow, to continue on the same broad lines mapped out 

 by one lately lost who has done so much towards shaping 

 its aims and purpose in years gone by. 



This is not the place nor am I the person to pronounce 

 any eulogy on the Institute's late friend and worker, Mr. 

 Thomas F. Hunt; we all knew in a general way his deep 

 interest in the affairs of this institution ; some of us, who 



